Improvement in hoop-skirts



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

S. A. MOODY, OF NEW YORK, N, Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN HOOP-SKIRTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 42,677, dated May 10,1864.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Mrs. S. A. MOODY, of, the city, county, and State ofNew York,

have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hoop-Skirts; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is aview of my invention shown in use; Fig. 2, a detached view of one of thelower hoops of the same; Fig. 3 an enlarged view of one of the joints ofthe lower hoops of the same; Fig. 4, an edge view of Fig. 3.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspending parts in the severalfigures.

The object of this invention is to admit of the hoop-skirt -readilycontracting laterally, when subjected to any lateral pressure andwithout being thrown up in front, as is now the case with the ordinaryhoop-skirts.v

To this end the invention consists in having the lower hoops of theskirt divided into two parts, and having said parts connected by ringsorjoints to'torm a flexible connection which will admit of the sides ofthe skirt readily yielding and bending inward without being thrownupward in front when subjected to lateral pressure-as, for instance, inbeing seated in a public conveyance and in close contact with passengersat either side.

'Io enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct myinvention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents the tapes, and B the upper hoops of a skirt, which may beconstructed and arranged in the usual way. The lower hoops, G, ot' theskirt, instead of being entire or formed of one piece, are divided atthe sides of the skirt, as shown at c in Figs. l and 2, and theirdivided ends are connected by links b and a ring, c, which form a jointor iiexible connection at two opposite sides of each hoop`G. These lowerhoops, C, in consequence of these flexible connections, will readilybend inward under a slight lateral pressure, as indicated in red in Fig.2,v and without admitting of the front parts of the hoops being thrownupward in front. These jointed hoops may extend upward from the bottomof the skirt about one-third of its height, and the side tapes, A,should be dii vided or forked at their lower parts, so that the hoop Gmay be secured to them at ezch side ot the joints, as shown in Fig. 1,or two separate side tapes maybe used for the same purpose. Y

I am aware that skirt-hoops havel before been formed with hinges ,orjoints to permit of their contracting laterally wthen needful.

In my invention great t advantage results from jointing only a suitablenumber of the lower hoops, the upper ones, where joints are notrequired, being left entire, so as to Support the principal weight ofthe clothing.

Another great advantage results from having the joints only at the sidesof the skirt instead of having a number extending or distributedcompletely around each hoop, as in some previous inventions. Byemploying a greater number than two joints in each hoop there is greatdanger of the entire skirt collapsing, whereas by using two only andthese confined to the sides, it will be manifest that all desirablecontraction is freely provided for the hoops yielding to the slightestpressure at either side, and when any excessive pressure is removed thegarment in-` stantly resumes its proper form.

My invention is also greatlysuperior to any in which sti' joints areemployed or joints provided with springs. Such devices, besides thedisadvantage of their costliness and liability to derangement,frequently require special adjustment by hand to contract them and torestore them to their normal position.

In my invention the joints are perfectly free, yielding to the slightestpressure, so that no attention from the wearer is required and noinconvenient position can be assumed by the clothing in passing througha narrow place, sitting in an arm-chair, or entering a carriage, neithercan the hoops be placed in any shape from which they will not returnwhen released, so that when the pressure is removed no attention isrequired to cause the garment to return to its symmetrical shape.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, as an improved article of manufacture, is-

A hoop-shirt having a suitable number of its lower hoops divided at eachside and connected by loops b b and'links c, all as herein representedand described.

Witnesses:

J AMEs P. HALL, M. M. LIVINGSTON.

S. A. MOODY.

